JAKARTA – The oil palm plantation fund management board (BPDPKS) has launched again the palm oil research grant program for the period of 2021. Under the program BPDPKS will finance palm oil researches that are aimed to further increase the sustainability and productivity of palm oil.
This year a total of 448 proposals are filed to the BPDPKS to get the financing facility. But after a selection process, the institution has decided that research grant this year is given to 28 proposals of new researches, which will be conducted by 18 institutions of research and development (R&D) in Indonesia.
“We signed 25 contracts of research cooperation for 25 new researches and 2 MOUs for 3 new researches with 18 research institutions. All of the 28 deals are valued at Rp42.4 billion with financing period of one to three years,” BPDPKS President Director Eddy Abdurrachman said after the signing ceremony on Thursday, 19 August 2021.
He said that the 18 research and development institutions are as follows: 1) The research and development directorate of the University of Indonesia (UI); 2) Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB); 3) LPPM of Bogor University of Agriculture (IPB), 4) Animal husbandry faculty of the Yogyakarta University of Gadjah Mada (UGM); 5) Sepuluh November Institute of Technology (ITS), 6) The research institute of the University of Sumatera Utara (USU), 7) LPPM of the University of Malikussaleh; 8) the University of Riau, 9) LPPM of the University of Bengkulu, 10) LPPM of the University of Lampung, 11) LPPM of the University of Tanjungpura, 12) LPPM of University of Lambung Mangkurat 13) LPPM of the University of Tadulako 14) The Indonesian Biotechnology and Bioindustry Research Center; 15) The Palm Oil Research Center (PPKS); 16) The Indonesian Palm Oil Society; 17) The Marshland agriculture research agency; 18) The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).
The research topics will cover issues of technology, sustainability, health, and economy. Among the topics include the improvement of biodiesel oxidative stability, hydrogen production technology, palm biomass yarn and fabric products, production technology of polyvinyl Chloride thermal stabilizer, the utilization of palm kernel cake, 3MCPD rapid test, the utilization of spent bleaching earth, early detection of Ganoderma, strategy and incentive for sustainability certification, nutrition and health improvement, and a number of economic issues that include palm oil and SDGs, reintegration model of social-economy, and identification of replanting program among smallholders.
“The palm oil research grant is one of BPDPKS programs, which has been conducted every year as part of our efforts to push the activities of palm oil researches to improve the sustainability of our national palm oil industry. The research and development activities should be able to give solutions to the problems facing the palm oil industries, such as improvement of productivity, efficiency, sustainability, increase of environmental awareness, and innovations to increase competitiveness at the global market,” Eddy Abdurrachman said.
Previous activities of research and development funded by BPDPKS include the land use and biodiversity in Indonesian oil palm plantations, solutions for mixture of biodiesel with diesel fuel (B20, B30, B40); surfactant production, helmet production from oil palm, bio-silica production, 3MCPD assessment, EU Directive assessment for WTO meeting; production of palm oil-based gasoline. (*)
Source: wartaekonomi.co.id | Featured image via istockphoto.com
